No one seems to have challenged those saying/implying that “the west is OK, but the poor countries should stop having children”.
So I’d like to point out that it’s exactly the other way round: if tomorrow 3 billion of the global poorest disappeared, climate change would still be mostly the same problem, because it’s the global richest (mostly USA and Europe) the ones causing it.
the poorest half of the global population – around 3.5 billion people – are responsible for only around 10% of total global emissions attributed to individual consumption
Around 50% of these emissions meanwhile can be attributed to the richest 10% of people around the world, who have average carbon footprints 11 times as high as the poorest half of the population
It’s not that difficult to understand. The poorest don’t have multiple cars and fly for holidays and take hot showers and eat imported niceties and forget to turn off the AC.
If you have the income to sustain your herd, you have the income to bypass any legal issues with having more children…Huel is right to encourage you to be responsible with reproduction just like you were responsible with nutrition and your health and well being.
I disagree. If the west moves towards having lesser population, it should eventually be expected to lead to higher migration out of economic needs. The people who come in will leave their AC turned on much the same way that people inside do. Don’t forget that the people are same everywhere, only opportunities differ. Also, with improving economies, heavily populated Asian countries are fast expanding their carbon footprint. America in fact has a much lower population than its ability to infinitely sustain, it just needs to tweak its lifestyle. The same cannot be said for many other countries. They are just breeding too much for the planet to be able to sustain.
Care to google which countries have the highest immigration influx? You are being ignorant. I am an Indian, currently in USA. I know the problems of overpopulation in developing economies far better than your internet websites taught you.
I had to jump in on this because it is a subject that I think about a lot. I am glad that people are finally beginning to talk about population growth and its impact on the planet. It is a conversation that needs to happen. Yes, it is controversial! Not everyone agrees that it should be addressed.
Let’s be fair to Huel here. All they did was post a chart. The chart pointed out some uncomfortable facts. Huel did not take a position on whether anyone should have a child or not.
Personally I support reducing population growth, for the future health and security of the planet and the human race. Is it a personal decision and should it remain a personal decision, whether to have a child or not? Of course. Check out populationconnection.org. I think they have a moderate, sensible approach to discussing and working on population growth issues.